Carter hadn't expected the twins to reject Lauren so strongly.

Lauren was in tears, wobbling on her feet. "It's my fault… It's all my fault… I shouldn't have left… They don't even know me…"

Right there in front of Rhea, Carter wrapped an arm around Lauren's shoulders. "Don't blame yourself. You didn't have a choice. Come on. Don't cry. Go upstairs and freshen up a bit."

Dressed in plain clothes, Lauren looked fragile and miserable. She was too weak to stand on her own, so Carter ended up escorting her to the guest room himself.

They passed by Rhea without so much as a glance, paying no mind to how she might feel.

Rhea bit back the strange discomfort swelling inside her. She told herself that Lauren simply missed the kids and wanted to see them, and that Carter was just doing what any decent father would do. He was trying to keep things civil.

At that thought, she forced a smile. "Alright, sweeties. It's time to wash up and get ready for bed."

"Okay, Mom!" The twins grinned and followed behind Rhea.

…

In the guest room, Lauren quickly freshened up and changed into a clean set of clothes. However, a sense of unease lingered in her chest. "Carter, the kids are probably getting ready for bed by now, right?"

Carter nodded. "Yeah. It's late."

If it hadn't been for the celebration party that night, the kids would have been asleep already.

Lauren set down a cup of warm water. Her eyes were still red-rimmed as she asked, "Do you think I could give them a bath? It might help us bond a little. I've missed them so much, and I've already lost so much time with them. It really hurts."

Her eyes were filled with a deep, aching longing for the kids.

How could Carter possibly deny a mother's love for her own kids?

Especially since their parting hadn't come from a lack of love, but from circumstances beyond their control. Carter couldn't bring himself to see Lauren so upset.

Those two children were, after all, the ones she had carried and given birth to.

So he nodded and said, "Alright."

…

Carter arrived at the kids' room and knocked on the door. "Arielle, Adrian."

Rhea opened it with water still clinging to her hands. When she saw him standing next to Lauren, she quietly pressed her lips together and asked, "What is it?"

"Lauren wants to help the kids with their baths. Maybe they can bond a little," Carter said.

It wasn't an outrageous request. So Rhea stepped aside and said, "Come in. Arielle's using the bathroom on the right."

The twins were six now. They were old enough to need separate bathrooms.

Lauren hurried to the bathroom on the right. Pushing the door open, she called out softly, "Arielle? It's Mom."

Startled by the sight of this woman who wanted to take Rhea's place, Arielle quickly pulled her towel around herself. "I don't need your help," she said.

The rejection hit Lauren hard, causing her eyes to well up with tears again.

Carter stood with his back to the bathroom door. "Arielle, don't speak to your mother like that."

Lauren quickly said, "It's alright, Carter. They don't really know me yet. It makes sense that they'd be guarded. I'm okay."

She sounded so patient and forgiving, which only made Carter feel more sorry for her.

How was it fair that a biological mother wasn't allowed to be near her own children?

At that thought, he turned to Rhea, who was about to bring a rubber duck to Adrian. "Is this what you've been teaching them?"

Rhea paused, confused by the sudden accusation. "What did I teach them?"

"Lauren is their mother. Even if she were a stranger, they should still show some basic respect."

Carter believed that the children's resistance toward Lauren stemmed from Rhea's failure to teach them better.

Rhea felt her heart sink. "They don't know her. What do you want me to do—"

"Enough," Carter cut her off. "Help Lauren bathe Arielle."

Without saying another word, he headed off to Adrian's bathroom. Rhea looked at his departing figure, then slowly stepped into Arielle's bathroom.

Lauren was already holding a bottle of body wash. "Arielle, let me help you with this."

Arielle wanted to push her away, but she had just heard Carter scold Rhea. So, she gritted her teeth and tolerated it.

Rhea stood by and watched Arielle forcing herself to endure for her sake. It made her chest ache. Nevertheless, she couldn't stop the mother and daughter from spending time together.

Fortunately, the bath was quick. After that, Lauren eagerly picked up a small glass jar. "Arielle, would you like to use this strawberry lotion?"

Arielle stared at her blankly and said, "No, thanks. I want my mom to do it."

Rhea walked over. "I'll do it."

The way Arielle resisted her made Lauren's heart clench with pain. "Alright."

Just as Rhea reached for the jar in Lauren's hand, the latter suddenly jerked, causing the glass jar to slip and shatter on the floor.

The crash startled Arielle. She stumbled and stepped right on a shard of glass. Blood instantly bloomed from her foot. She cried out, "Mom! I'm bleeding!"

Rhea's eyes widened in panic, but she reacted quickly. She scooped Arielle into her arms and hurried out.

Lauren quickly followed. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Hearing the commotion, Carter rushed over, only to see Arielle's foot bleeding heavily.

Rhea immediately went to grab the first aid kit and began treating the wound. Her hands moved with practiced ease.

"What happened?" Carter asked.

Lauren looked stricken. "Mrs. Jamison, even if you hate me, you shouldn't take it out on the kids. A broken jar is really dangerous. If you hadn't grabbed it from me…"

Rhea's hand froze midair. The cotton swab nearly jabbed Arielle's open wound.

Rhea didn't have time to argue. Treating the wound came first.

Fortunately, the glass shard hadn't lodged itself in the skin. It was just a surface cut.

Hearing that, Carter frowned at Rhea and said, "If you have a problem with Lauren, bring it to me. Why take it out on the kids?"

Rhea looked up when she heard those words. "I didn't try to grab the jar. And I don't have a problem with anyone."

Lauren appeared to be overwhelmed with guilt as she said, "Don't, Carter. It's my fault. I shouldn't have asked to bond with the kids or tried to bathe them. If I hadn't been here, Arielle wouldn't have gotten hurt. This is all my fault."

But Carter said firmly, "None of this is your fault. You're her birth mother. Anyone else might hurt her, but not you."

The cotton swab in Rhea's hand snapped into two. She gritted her teeth, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

She wondered if Carter really thought that she was taking out her anger on the kids. A rush of hurt swelled in her chest.

"Don't be sad, Mom." Arielle threw her arms around Rhea and said, "It doesn't even hurt that much."

A warm feeling welled up in Rhea's chest. She fought to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you. I'm fine."

Carter looked at Arielle. "Your birth mother is crying here, and you don't even say a single word to comfort her?"

Lauren tugged at Carter's sleeve gently and shook her head. "Don't scold the kids. They're still young. They don't understand."

So it all came down to Rhea's failure to raise the children properly.

Carter's anger flared, and he snapped at Rhea, "Starting tomorrow, you don't need to take care of the kids anymore. Lauren will handle it."

Rhea couldn't believe her ears. She finished bandaging Arielle's wound and stood up.

But before she could respond, Arielle blurted out, "Dad, Mom didn't try to take the jar! This woman let go of it before Mom even touched it! She did it on purpose!"

Lauren froze for a moment, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Arielle, how could you slander me?"

The way Lauren looked so hurt only made Carter believe that Arielle was lying.

In his mind, Arielle was trying to protect Rhea, which was why she intentionally slandered Lauren.

After all, what kind of mother would hurt her child?

Carter firmly said, "Arielle, children shouldn't lie. And she's not some stranger. She's your and Adrian's biological mother. Without her, you wouldn't even exist."

"I'm not lying!" Arielle insisted.

Tears shimmered in Lauren's eyes, but she managed a smile. She quickly tried to calm Carter down, saying, "It's okay. Kids don't lie. They only lie because they want to protect the people they love. It's fine if they like Mrs. Jamison. It means that she's been good to them. That's what matters."

Her statement about how kids wouldn't lie implied that Rhea had told Arielle to say that.

Seeing the hurt and grievance in Lauren's eyes only fueled Carter's anger. "Where are the maids?"

A nanny, Alisha Berry, rushed in.

Carter fixed his eyes on Rhea as he ordered, "Take the kids away." He was clearly trying to keep the children away from her.

Once Alisha had carried both children out, Carter—still fuming—left with Lauren without looking back.

Rhea stood frozen in place.

They were the twins' birth parents. So, she felt that she had no right to say anything.

Her chest constricted at the sight of the bloodied swab. But beneath the pain, it was the disappointment that cut deeper.

Throughout their six years of marriage, she managed the household and cared for the children, just so he could devote himself fully to his work.

She thought she was special. After all, Carter had remained loyal over the years. He had treated her with care and fulfilled his duties as a husband.

But now, she realized that all of that only held true because Lauren hadn't been around.

In just one evening, the way Carter defended Lauren far outshone anything he had done for Rhea in the past six years.

Suddenly, all the care he had shown her felt like a cruel joke.

…

Later that night, after Rhea had showered and lain down, footsteps soon followed.

Carter had also taken a shower and gotten into bed. They lay back-to-back in silence.

After a long pause, Carter said, "Lauren only came because she missed the children. You didn't have to be so defensive, and you certainly shouldn't have taught Arielle to lie. Don't let this happen again."

Rhea couldn't believe her ears. She clenched her jaw. "I've been raising them for six years since they were newborns. I want what's best for them more than anyone. So what makes you think I'd teach them to lie?"

"If it wasn't you, then who? Lauren?" Carter's tone turned ice-cold. "Do you need me to remind you that she's their birth mother?"

Those words hit her like a knife to the chest. She had given six years of her life, yet one emotional moment from Lauren outweighed it all.

Did those years mean nothing at all?

…

The night passed without Rhea and Carter exchanging another word.

The next morning, Rhea woke up to an empty bed.

It was the weekend, which meant that it was family day. Carter always stayed home with the kids on weekends.

As Rhea walked downstairs, Devan met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Mrs. Jamison, breakfast… is ready." He looked like he wanted to say more, but bit his tongue.

Then Rhea stepped into the dining room and understood why.

Lauren had made breakfast. And it was elaborate.

"Mrs. Jamison, good morning. Come eat!" Lauren's smile was gentle.

But in Carter's eyes, it only looked like Lauren was trying to please Rhea.

He couldn't bear to see that. "You don't have to do that. This is your kids' home. You have every right to live here with peace of mind."

Rhea froze mid-step. It felt like someone had just slapped her across the face.

Lauren only smiled. "Alright."

Once Rhea took a seat, Lauren said, "Try this. I used to be great at making crab quiche. Carter used to love it. So, I thought I'd make some for you and the kids to try."

He did love crab quiches.

Carter didn't hold back his praise. "It's even better than I remember. Thank you for making it. But you don't have to cook next time. Rhea knows how to make it, too."

Thank you? Rhea knew how to make it, too? So what, Lauren didn't need to cook, and she had to?

Rhea stared down at her oatmeal. She recalled that she had stayed up two nights straight caring for a feverish Adrian. Her eyes were red with fatigue, but Carter hadn't even thanked her.

Nevertheless, she swallowed the urge to argue. She chose to believe that Carter was simply treating Lauren like a guest and being polite.

So, she lifted her head and said, "Yeah, I know how to make it too. But Arielle's allergic to crab. She can't have this."

Lauren was surprised. "Allergic? Carter, that's probably because she wasn't properly weaned. You can't be too overprotective with kids. They need exposure to germs when they're young. It helps build a stronger immune system."

Carter paused at those words and glanced at Rhea.

But to be fair, Rhea had taken immaculate care of the kids all these years. He had nothing to criticize. So this time, he didn't go along with what Lauren said.

Lauren noticed his silence and quickly changed the subject. "I was thinking of taking the kids out for the day. Carter, can you come with us?"

Then she turned to Rhea and said, "Mrs. Jamison, you should come too."

Carter cut in. "Just call her Rhea."

Lauren complied. "Alright, Rhea."

They just talked among themselves without even asking Rhea what she wanted.

Rhea hadn't touched her food. "You guys go. I'm meeting a friend today."

Carter asked, "What friend? You don't have friends."

"I had a friend who moved to Colburn. I'm going to catch up with her."

She used to have a wide circle of friends, but after marrying Carter and relocating to Colburn, the distance made it hard for her to keep in touch with them. Almost all of her friends were still in Draventh, which was the capital.

Carter didn't press. He simply reminded, "Be careful. Don't come back too late."

Rhea nodded and went upstairs to get ready.

After she was gone, Carter reached over and plated some more food on Lauren's plate. "So your health's really back to normal?"

Smiling, she nodded. "I'm fine now. Don't worry."

"You must have been through a lot."

Lauren lowered her gaze, sorrow flickering in her eyes. "It was fine. Things have finally turned around, haven't they?"

In truth, she hadn't really suffered. Life had been fairly comfortable. She just couldn't speak of the past.

…

Once the kids woke up, Rhea helped them get ready to head out. She packed water bottles, wet wipes, kid cameras, and spare clothes.

"I'm not coming with you today, okay? So, be good and listen to your dad. Don't run around yourselves," she said while crouching down to adjust their collars.

Adrian pouted. "Then who's coming with us?"

"Your dad and…" Rhea paused before saying, "...your birth mother."

"We don't want her!" Arielle's temper flared. "How could you not be our birth mother? That lady's lying! We've never even seen her before!"

Rhea patiently said, "Arielle, she is your birth mother. If you keep resisting her, your dad will be upset."

The kids were upset, but they nodded in agreement. After all, they had always listened to Rhea.

They still couldn't accept that Lauren was their biological mother. That rejection had only grown deeper with time.

After descending the stairs, Rhea placed a piece of paper on the dining table. "Here's a list of the kids' food allergies and eating preferences."

She didn't stick around after that. She changed her clothes and left.

…

Rhea stayed at her friend Maeve Corbin's bar until just before evening.

"It's family day, and here you are spending half of it with me. That's rare," Maeve said, setting down a plate of fruit.

Rhea gave a soft chuckle. Her tone was laced with self-deprecation as she spoke. "What's there for me to do when the perfect family of four is off having fun?"

"You could start your own business."

Rhea shook her head and said, "There's no space for my kind of work in Colburn."

She had studied venture capital. However, Colburn was home to several mid-sized manufacturing businesses. At the moment, there weren't any massive, billion-dollar projects that would call for mergers or partnerships.

The only business with real growth potential here was Carter's. Jamison Group had basically become the dominant force across the entire southern tri-state area.

But Rhea never got involved in Carter's work.

"You're wasting your talent." Even Maeve couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

Rhea had grown up under the influence of the men in her family. By the age of 17, she was already learning about investments from her father.

Sharp-eyed and astute even at a young age, she had helped the Ravelle family earn more money than they could count.

It was precisely because of this that Rhea faced such fierce opposition from her family when she insisted on marrying Carter. After all, he had two children out of wedlock. The conflict ran so deep that it eventually led to a complete severing of ties.

But the young man she had secretly loved since her school days had become her husband. Naturally, she was going to give him her all. Maeve couldn't blame her for that. Not that Carter ever knew any of it.

He simply assumed that Rhea had come from an ordinary family, tucked away in some distant, remote town. And that was why her parents had never shown up all these years.

Rhea's head was starting to spin. "No more drinks. I should go—"

Suddenly, her phone vibrated, cutting her off. It was Carter.

Rhea guessed that it had to be something about the kids, as he hardly ever called her. Most of the time, they just communicated through text.

She picked up the call. "Hello?"

Carter's voice was cold and tight as he said, "Get to the children's hospital now."

Rhea didn't even say goodbye to Maeve. She just ran out of the bar.

Rhea rushed into the emergency department of the children's hospital, breathless. "What happened?"

"Adrian had an allergic reaction," Carter said, his voice tight with worry.

Rhea's heart sank. "Allergic? I wrote down everything he can't eat. Didn't you see it?"

Lauren quickly apologized. "It's my fault. I didn't realize that mango would trigger him. I'm so sorry…"

"Lauren meant well," Carter cut in. "Besides, the list you gave us got lost. Maybe you didn't write it clearly."

"I didn't write it clearly?" Rhea was furious. She knew everything the kids couldn't eat by heart.

Before handing over the list of precautions, she had even double-checked it to ensure that nothing was missed. How could it possibly not be clear?

And now he was saying it had gotten lost?

Carter suddenly caught a whiff of alcohol off her. "You've been drinking? Adrian's in the hospital, and you were in the mood for a drink?"

Rhea's chest burned with anger. "You're the ones who took them out. How is this—"

"Rhea!" Carter's stare was piercing as he snapped, "What you should be doing right now is checking on Adrian. Not standing there trying to shift the blame. A stepmother is still just a stepmother."

Her heart dropped. It felt like something inside her tore clean down the middle.

She couldn't believe those words had come from Carter.

Rhea knew that she hadn't been perfect with the kids, but she had done everything she could.

And now, just to spare Lauren's feelings, Carter had turned around and lashed out at her, as if she were the one who caused Adrian's allergic reaction.

Was that all she was in his eyes? An unfit stepmother?

The frustration and hurt sat heavy in her chest, too overwhelming to release.

Just then, a nurse called from the hallway, "Family of Adrian Jamison?"

All three of them entered the consultation room together.

The attending physician, a woman in her 50s named Emily Mitchell, asked, "Who are the child's parents?"

"We are." Lauren immediately stepped forward, pulling Carter along. Her expression was full of a mother's urgent concern.

Rhea stood behind them both, too worried to pay attention to anything else. All she wanted to know was how Adrian was doing.

Emily said sharply, "Adrian's six years old. Don't you know what he can or can't eat? Don't treat allergies like a joke. Some can actually be fatal. Fortunately, he didn't eat much of it today, or it would have been too late by the time he got here."

Lauren took the criticism on the chin and apologized, "It was my fault."

Emily had the least patience for careless parents. She continued scolding, "You, as his mother, should've known better."

Lauren looked both hurt and anxious. "I-I wasn't around when they were younger. I didn't know about their allergies. Besides, they often experience allergic reactions. Is it because of the environment they're growing up in?"

She sounded as though she were blaming Rhea for not raising the kids right.

Emily explained, "There are many allergens that can affect children, and many factors involved, like their environment, genetics, and so on. But one of the most important is the mother's diet during pregnancy."

Lauren glanced away, looking guilty.

Back then, during her pregnancy, her family had gone through a significant upheaval, leaving her in a bad state of mind. She hardly ever watched her diet. She even drank alcohol.

Through her years of experience, Emily sensed there was more to the story. So, she asked bluntly, "Are you divorced? Who's taking care of the children?"

Carter suddenly looked at Rhea.

She stepped forward and said, "Hi, doctor. I'm… the kids' stepmother."

Emily glanced at Rhea, then paused. "You didn't know about their allergies?"

Rhea clenched her fists, refusing to take the blame anymore. "I knew. Their mother took them out, and I left a list of precautions, but they lost it."

Carter frowned. It seemed like he didn't want Rhea to blame Lauren for this.

But Rhea wasn't thinking about his feelings. She quickly asked, "Is Adrian going to be okay? Is he still vomiting? Does he have a fever?"

From her questions, Emily could tell how much she cared for the kids.

By contrast, Lauren hadn't shown much concern. She hadn't even asked how Adrian was doing.

Emily pulled Rhea aside and gave her a thorough rundown of what to watch for. Finally, she said, "He needs an IV and some monitoring. If all goes well, he should be able to go home soon."

Rhea finally let out a breath of relief.

Emily didn't spare Carter and Lauren. "If you can't take care of your kids, don't pretend that you can. Do you really think raising a child is an easy job?

Lauren's face flushed red. Tears welled up as she turned and walked out.

On the way to the ward, she felt overwhelmed with guilt. "Carter, I've really failed as a mother. It's because I was careless that Adrian ended up like this."

Carter comforted her, saying, "It's not your fault. You didn't know about the allergies. The doctor said he'll be fine anyway."

The three of them entered the ward together.

Rhea wanted to check on Adrian, but Lauren was quicker to approach the bedside. She and Carter stood on either side, quietly guarding Adrian. It was such a peaceful scene.

"Adrian, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful from now on." Carter held Adrian's hand, worry clear in his eyes.

Unhappy with Lauren being here, Adrian pouted and didn't respond to Carter. He wanted Rhea to be with him.

Watching them stand by Adrian, Rhea took Arielle and left the ward.

As she sat down on a bench in the hall, Arielle hugged her neck. "Mom, don't be sad. If Dad won't be with you, I will."

That made Rhea's sadness swell even more. Still, she said, "I'm not sad."

…

Inside the ward, Lauren looked at Adrian with tenderness. "They say that sons take after their mother. Look at Adrian's eyes. They're just like mine. And Arielle completely inherited her personality from me. Watching them, it's like seeing younger versions of myself."

Carter couldn't help but recall the fiery, fearless Lauren from their younger days and thought that Arielle really was a copy of her.

He nodded, saying, "Yeah, you're a lot alike."

Lauren lowered her gaze. "It's just a shame that all those childhood photos are gone."

Her family had gone bankrupt, so they had to sell their house in a hurry. When the Thayers left, they took only some documents and clothes, leaving everything else behind.

Carter remembered those hard times well. He said reassuringly, "It's okay. We can take new ones later."

Lauren's eyes were filled with tears as she said, "I remember how you tried making seafood pasta for me when I was pregnant. It was really good."

Carter remembered that, too. "Would you like some now?"

"No. It's all in the past." She sniffed before turning away. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom."

But she barely took a few steps before bumping into the end of the bed.

"Lauren!" Carter caught her quickly. "What's wrong?"

Her lips turned pale. "Nothing. I'm just feeling weak. I guess years of poor nutrition are finally catching up to me."

Carter frowned and asked, "Then why push yourself? Let me take you back."

"No. Don't forget that we have dinner plans with Peter and the others. It's already late. It wouldn't be right for us to bail. You should go. I'll stay and watch the kids."

Carter wanted to cancel the dinner, but Lauren continued firmly, "Don't you dare skip it. If you do, they'll think that I don't want to see them. Say hi to them for me. When you're done, could you get me my toiletries?"

That was doable.

Lauren used to laugh and get along with his friends, but now…

At that thought, Carter agreed. "Alright. I'll head over for a bit."

"Good."

After Carter left the ward, he told Rhea, who was holding Arielle, "I made plans with Peter and the others earlier today. There will be quite a few people, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to just skip. I'll be back soon."

Rhea knew that he was just informing her, so she simply nodded. Once he was gone, she took Arielle back to the ward.

Without Carter there, Adrian got braver. He ordered Lauren away. "I don't need you to watch me. You can leave. My mom will look after me."

Lauren's heart sank at his words, but she held back her tears. "Adrian, I'm worried because you're sick."

Adrian was about to say more, but Rhea walked over. She said, "Adrian, go to sleep."

Adrian pressed his lips tightly into a line and closed his eyes.

No one spoke after that in the ward. Arielle stayed close to Rhea's arm, their bond clear.

Meanwhile, Lauren kept glancing at her phone, which continued to buzz.

Arielle looked up and said, "Go ahead and take care of what you need to do. You don't have to stay with Adrian."

A six-year-old didn't yet understand the complicated feelings about who was or wasn't their biological mother. They only knew that Rhea had been there for them all along.

And now, their happy life with the mother they love was under threat. So they resisted the sudden appearance of Lauren.

Lauren replied gently, "I'm not busy. It's just that your dad just messaged me. I asked him to bring me some toiletries. He's just asking about that."

She even showed Arielle her phone.

At that moment, Rhea felt a pang in her chest.

She sat on the same side as Arielle. Even though she tried not to look, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the screen.

She caught an unintentional glimpse of Carter's thoughtful, caring side. However, it wasn't meant for her.

A minute later, Lauren's cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke with a hint of embarrassment. "Sorry, Rhea. Carter couldn't find them. They're my personal thing, after all. I'll get them and be back soon. Please watch the kids while I'm gone."